Stumbling into Bliss
by Mother Mnemosyne
Summary: A slashy story, mostly Ned/Horton, but other pairings will be explored. How can two creatures from such different worlds connect and grow? And what will it mean for the family of Mayor McDodd?
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: So, I started looking around, and I thought there wasn't enough Horton/Ned slash out there! Call me crazy, but this fic was born of that need, although I do not promise in any way to limit it to that pairing. ;) Also, if anyone else knows of any Horton/Ned slash out there please send me a message, I'd appreciate it! Enjoy the fic._

**Stumbling into Bliss**

**by: Mother Mnemosyne**

Chapter 1

Horton gently settled next to the sunflower that supported the world of the Who's, resting his considerable bulk against the side of Mt. Nool so that only his head was inside the small cave. He hummed happily as he settled his trunk around the stem of the flower, his head resting on the soft moss around the entrance. "Ned," he called softly, "You there, buddy?"

Down in Whoville, the Mayor was working late in his office. It seemed that more often than not he would need to sleep on a cot in the corner after working late into the night. Repairs were going smoothly, but Ned was still overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork involved in repairing basically every structure in the town, from picture frames and punch bowls, to streets, buildings, and light poles. He yawned widely and strerched, rubbing his tired eyes. He perked up as he heard Hortons voice coming from the gramaphone, and wheeled his office chair over. He had connected a small flexible hose to make it easy to hold, and now he took it down and held it lovingly. "Horton, how are you?" he asked, smiling.

"I'm doing okay," he said, losing some of his cheer. "I got lonely and thought I'd come say hello..."

"Horton, what's wrong?" The elephant wasn't acting like his normal happy self.

Horton puffed out a small sigh, and in Whoville Ned's hair ruffled in the breeze. "It's just... I missed you..."

Ned felt a rush of affection for the savior of Whoville and smiled. "Oh, Horton. I miss you too." He leaned back and looked up at the blue-black sky above. "I am so glad that you've been coming back to visit us."

They sat in a companionable silence, and Ned experienced the first few moments of peace he'd had in days. "You know, Horton, I didn't think you'd come back at first."

"What? Why would you think that?" Horton looked puzzled as he stared at the speck on the sunflower.

"I dunno, why would you? You'd kept your promise, and been faithful one hundred percent. You can't even see me, so why would you bother?," Ned answered nonchalantly. It was strange how much the answer to the question seemed to matter to him, and he felt as if he couldn't breath as the silence, now slightly awkward, stretched on.

Just as he was about to look down, disappointed, Horton answered. "Well, I don't have to see you to *care* about you," he said indignantly. "That's just silly, Mr. Mayor. You care about me, right?"

The mayor laughed, feeling even more joyful. Horton certainly was a unique person, faithful and innocent, never questioning that Ned returned his feelings. _More than either of us would be comfortable with_, he thought, his smile faltering slightly. "Of course," he assured the elephant.

Horton and Ned spoke long into the night, and Horton felt happier than he had in a very long time. Several hours later, Horton yawned and said, "I wish I could see Whoville, just once."

"Me, too," he answered sincerely. "I'm sorry, Horton, but I'm beat. I'm going to lay down on my cot over here, okay?" Silence met his ears for a few moments. "Horton? Are you there?"

After a few more moments, the sounds of light snores reached his ears. Smiling, Mayor McDodd lay down and swiftly joined his friend in sleep.

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Horton awoke slowly the next morning. He snuffled and rolled over, then squinted. There certainly was more sunlight inside this cave than he remembered. It suddenly occurred to him that the rock he was laying on was exceptionally soft, and quite a bit flatter than he remembered...

...And he probably should have fallen off of Mount Nool when he...rolled...over...

With a loud yelp, he jumped up and found he was on top of a strange structure, with a flattish, grass-covered surface, with sloping sides, also covered with grass. He whimpered slightly. How had he been moved? Where was he now? How could he get down?

Most importantly, what were all those strange little creatures milling about below him?

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To Be Continued...

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Please let me know if you'd care to see more of this story by reviewing! Or, if you think it's twaddle, also feel free to review! Or, if you simply like the term "twaddle", you can review and let me know your appreciation of my word choices! All opinions are appreciated. :D Happy reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

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Ned was heading to a corner store to pick up a coffee the next morning. He had been disappointed to find that Horton didn't respond to his repeated calls.

He had waited hopefully for Horton to claim he was Benny again, but found himself sorely disappointed; he tried to rationalize why he shouldn't feel hurt, and ignored the pang in his chest. He treasured the few times Horton had come to visit him, and held himself lucky that he would even consider a tiny creature like himself a friend at all.

So, he tried to push down the sadness, washed up in the nearby bathroom and set off to grab coffee and a doughnut. He was lost in his own thoughts as he took a large bite out of his treat, but he looked up in alarm as he heard a strange trumpeting sound, and suddenly tuned in to what the Who next to him was saying.

"...An elephant on top of Bob's roof! You gotta see this, it's-"

He stopped abruptly as the Mayor grabbed him. "An elephant?! Where?" Ned nearly yelled, shaking him.

Looking alarmed, the Who tried to push him off. "Mayor, what-"

"Take me to him," he ordered, surprised at how authoritative and serious he sounded.

"Sure thing, Mr. Mayor!" The Who responded, and took off running. Ned followed close behind.

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He had never seen Horton before, but as the Mayor looked up at the strangely bald-ish elephant on the roof, he felt a jolt. Especially since he could tell the animal was panicking; he was moving from edge to edge on the roof, trumpeting and whimpering, tail and ears drooping.

Instantly berating himself for his foolish hope, he scrambled up a nearby home, jumping from foothold to foothold. He landed in front of the elephant, who stopped moving and drew himself up, still much larger than any Who around. Ned was intimidated as the elephant's eyes narrowed and he raised his trunk, and reacted by holding his hands up defensively. "Wait, wait, stop! Horton, it's me, it's ME!"

The elephant stopped moving, then his trunk slowly dropped, his expression softening from anger, to hope, then to incredulity, but no words left his mouth. Ned waited and waited, and when no response was forthcoming, his spirits sagged a little and he looked down. "Sorry... I thought..."

"Mr. Mayor?"

Ned's head snapped up again, and he smiled ad he looked into teal eyes. "Horton! How...?" Without thinking, he rushed forward and hugged the elephant around the trunk.

He felt the muscly appendage wrap around him twice and lift him to eye level, at which point a collective gasp from the surrounding Who's brought him back to his senses. Disentangling himself, he raised his arms, still held in the air by Horton, and announced, "Citizens of Whoville; this is Horton the Elephant, savior of our city!"

Murmuring broke out, and one female Who shouted shrilly, "How come we can see him?", and another, deeper voice asked, "He's not big enough to carry Whoville around on a flower!"

Seeing a disaster coming, Ned spoke again. "While we still don't understand the miracle that has brought him here, let us show him the greatest respect while he is with us." The murmurs changed to agreement, and Ned breathed a sigh of relief. "Now, we Who's need to find a way to get Horton down from here. Any ideas? Any at all?"

He felt slightly disappointed as Horton put him down, but kept his smile plastered on anyway, his mind reeling. Finally, someone suggested using a Who-dozer to gently lift Horton down, and since this seemed reasonable, the Mayor sent some Who's down to city hall for assistance.

Then he turned to Horton and lowered his voice. "Horton, how did this happen?"

"Gee, I...I dunno..." Horton was still glancing about in bewilderment. "It's really weird, isn't it?"

"But Horton, Horton!" He tugged on Horton's ear, bringing his attention back to him. "This is amazing! You're here! I can see you...touch you...!"

"Well, yeah!" Horton smiled brightly, reaching his trunk out to run the tip over Ned's cheek. "That is amazing."

Ned smiled goofily. "Yeah..." It felt nice to finally see his dearest friend, and he leaned into his touch, eyes closing in pleasure. After a moment he came back to himself, and pulled away with a yelp and a cough. "You should meet my family," he blurted out, thinking guiltily of Sally as he pulled away. "Jojo has been going to a private music school recently, and he's more talkative than ever! Heh..."

Horton dropped his trunk and grinned sheepishly. "Sure... I'd love to! I don't know how long I'll have before I get all enormous again!" Then he looked a little sad. "If I do."

Ned patted his side where he could reach. "Don't worry. First things first. We'll get you down, then we'll go see Dr. Larue. She'll know what to do."

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To Be Continued


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

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Dr. Larue was not much immediate help, which secretly elated Horton. Although he wasn't sure he wanted to stay in Whoville forever, the chance to learn more about their society was something he wouldn't miss for anything. In addition, he was excited to think of having time to really get to know Ned McDodd.

Horton hadn't fit into Dr. Larue's office or classroom, so she had kindly moved her things into the gymnasium. After she had examined Horton with several instruments, and muttered abundantly to herself, Dr. Larue announced that she would need more time to see the problem from every angle.

"How much time?" Ned asked, wringing his hands.

"I can't shay yet, Mr. Mayor," she answered, gathering her gizmos up into a cart. "It could be hoursh or weeksh at thish point. I'll contact you when I know more."

As she wheeled her cart out of the gym, Ned walked with Horton out the double cargo doors and out into the bright sunlight. "I'm so sorry, Horton," the Mayor said. "I know you must want to get back to the jungle as quickly as possible."

"Nah, this is great!I can't wait to find out all about you Who's!"

Ned grinned up at him, and as Horton smiled back, he felt a strange swooping sensation in his stomach, something he'd never felt before. He felt it intensify as he looked at his friend's fuzzy face, expanding and making his own cheeks flush. It was good, he thought, but new and scary, something to examine later when he had some time alone.

Then all thought ceased as he was confronted with six fairly drab and serious-looking Who's, all in somber gray suits. He looked down at them, eyebrows rising to the top of his forehead. "Oh. Hello! ...Who are you?"

The tallest, thinnest Who stepped forward, a sly smile in his face. "Hello, Horton," he drawled, "I'm the Chairman of the Whoville City Counsel. I believe we've spoken before. I'd have been here to meet you sooner, but the *mayor*..." Here, the Chairman paused and scowled at Mayor McDodd, then continued, "...neglected to inform us of your arrival."

"Heh, heh..." Ned looked a little embarrassed. "Sorry... I guess I forgot in all the excitement..."

"Yes, well, now that we have arrived, you can get back to your office and let us handle everything from here." He turned to Horton, effectively blocking Ned out, and the other members followed suit. "Now, which part of Whoville would you like to see first? There's a lovely garden on the outskirts, or perhaps..."

Horton was very confused. He was glad to be treated so nicely by everyone, but the Chairman was being very rude to the mayor. The Who's words trailed away from his hearing as he looked from the Chairman to Ned,watching the mayor's features fall before he slumped and turned to walk away.

"Now wait just a second," Horton interrupted. The council all looked affronted as Ned turned back to look, but Horton continued, undeterred. "Your mayor helped save your whole world! He deserves some respect! He's my friend, and I want him to help show me around." Horton sat down and crossed his arms. "And I won't move a muscle unless he's with me!"

He ignored the mutterings and stern looks from the councilmen, taking in only the joyous glow that seemed to emanate from his friend as he drew himself up and strode back to Horton's side. Looking proud, Ned turned to Horton and said, "How would you like to see the campus here at Who U first?"

"Gladly," Horton said. Getting back up to all fours, he scowled at the distinguished group of men and lumbered further out into the sunlight with his friend.

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Ned pointed out several structures as they passed, talking to fill the silence, as Horton was strangely quiet. After a few moments, the elephant turned to him and said, "Why do you let them treat you that way?"

This startled Ned. "What do mean?"

"You obviously don't like it. You said they called you a boob... I thought, when I sort of yelled at the Chairman, he would back off, you know?" Horton laughed a little. "Not that you need me to protect you or anything. I'm sure you'd do fine on your own with a little confidence."

"It's still just hard to stand up to them, you know?" Ned rubbed the back of his neck. "They're so intimidating. Chairman Bath has been in office since my father was mayor, and he was the same way with him."

Horton nodded. "Sounds like he just likes pushing people around. Why are you afraid of him? Can he have you replaced?"

"I guess technically, he could," Ned answered, "but it would be *very* difficult. They'd have to have some proof of mental instability, and then the five councilmen would have to agree to impeach me. And then 95% of the citizens would have to vote that I'm unfit for service, which would be difficult for him to acheive..."

"Well, there you go! No reason to be afraid!" Horton smiled brightly. "You're worth ten of those guys, buddy."

Ned smiled, then stepped back as he noticed many figures heading their way. He stood aside as Horton was fawned over by many college aged Who-girls and Who-boys who patted his trunk and ears, and he gave them rides on his back four at a time. Soon, he was swinging one over his head, and everyone was laughing.

The mayor was still smiling and felt like he had never stopped. There was something about Horton that made him feel good about himself, made him feel appreciated, and defended from the slights of the Chairman. His smile only faded when he realized he didn't know how long he would have the elephant's encouragement to look forward to.

As the sun was setting, and the college kids were heading to their cafeteria, Ned watched Horton trundling back to him in the vermillion light, his hefty shadow lengthening. "Having fun?", he queried, looking up from his seat in the grass.

"I've never been happier." he answered. He flopped onto the ground and used his trunk to drag Ned into an overwhelming hug.

He relaxed into Horton's warm bulk and sighed, allowing himself to enjoy the feeling of being enveloped in the warm, soft embrace. He was surprised to find that Horton smelled, rather than musky and earthy like an animal, more sweet, like some wild jungle flower. Leaning in, Ned breathed, "Me, too."

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Horton stroked the Who's furry back with his trunk, the funny feeling in his stomach returning. He briefly pondered what it could be; it was a happy feeling, but not the same happy feeling he got when he saw or hugged his other friends, whether it was Vlad, the kids, or even Morton, his closest friend. He felt the mayor shift and looked down to find his large, shining blue eyes looking up at him.

Was Ned feeling the same way? Horton cupped the bottom of his foot around the back of his friend's head, feeling foolish as his breath came faster. He stammered quietly, "Mister... Mr. Mayor?"

It was as if the use of his title brought him back to himself. Horton watched in confusion as Ned ducked out of his arms, stood, and fidgeted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, Horton," he said, voice muted.

Horton continued to sit dumbfoundedly on the grass. "Sorry? Sorry for what?"

"For... You know..." Ned gestured feebly.

"For the hug?", the elephant said. "Why would you be sorry about that? I love hugs!"

The mayor looked slightly less concerned, smiling slightly. "I do, too, Horton. Come on, let's go home."

"Oh, right! To meet your family!" Horton hopped up excitedly.

"Right. My family." Horton couldn't fathom why the mayor looked so down as they walked down the street.

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To Be Continued


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

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Sally watched Heddy coloring on the wall with a sort of exhausted disapproval. To her left several of her daughters were studying, and behind her she heard Holly and Hildy arguing over nail polishes. To her right several of the girls were playing Ring Around the Rosie, and many more were playing London Bridge, while rest seemed to be running up and down the front stairs screaming. If she went into the bedroom, she knew she'd find Hesper moodily sketching away while her twin Harper experimented with her chemistry set nearby.

Watching as a large green bubble floated out of the girls room, she sighed heavily.

She looked at the clock; Ned should have been home nearly two hours ago. With no extra help, she'd decided to order pizza to feed her family, resulting in many more arguments over which Who-girl was entitled to more of each kind, though Sally had ordered thirty-three. Clean up was relatively easy, since the pizzeria had sent paper plates as a courtesy. Now two fresh bags of trash were in the garage, and Sally didn't know where her husband had gotten to. She had tried to call his Who-phone, but found it vibrating deep in the couch, forgotten yesterday morning. Two days of looking after the girls herself was wearing on her.

A few more bubbles floated by the girls door, and Sally got up from couch and looked down the street. Something was coming up the road, but it couldn't be her husband. It was enormous, and Ned always walked to work, and she had seen his car just a few hours ago. It was to dark to see what it was coming to the house, but she still squinted, trying to make it out.

Movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she turned to see clouds of bubbles in varying shades of green pouring out of the girl's bedroom. She raced to the door and found Hesper and Harper frantically trying to cover a flask, from which the the floating spheres were copiously spewing. She covered her eyes briefly, and breathed, "Oh, Harper. Again?"

She looked anxious. "Mom, I'm sorry! I didn't-"

"It's not her fault, Mom!" Hesper interjected loudly.

"Just give it to me," Sally said wearily. "I'll take it outside."

A chorus of protest followed her pronouncement, from the twins and the other girls, who had gathered around the doorway.

"Harper, give it to me," Sally said sternly.

Harper began to hand it over but Hesper grabbed it out of her mother's reach. "Mom, please, it's not hurting anything!"

She sighed and looked at nearly all of her daughters surrounding her, plainly hoping she wouldn't destroy it. "Fine. You can all come outside with me, and that way the carpet won't get stained, but you can still see them." Sally smiled as a cheer broke out, and a small corridor formed in the sea of daughters surrounding her.

She flipped the switch to the outdoor lights and stepped outside, placing the flask in the middle of the driveway. Squealing in delight, the smallest girls began jumping in the air, trying to pop the bubbles or grab them, Sally wasn't sure which. Hildy and Holly were holding a couple of the smaller girls in the air, allowing them to get the bubbles above their heads. Even the older girls were having a fun time blowing the bubbles around in spirals. Smiling, she turned to see Hesper with her arm around Harper, who seemed inordinately distraught.

She walked over and sat nearby on the stoop. "The other girls are having a fun time with your experiment, Harper. Tell me there's nothing toxic in there...?"

"No." Harper sighed and leaned her head on her twins shoulder. "I was trying to make my own environmentally friendly Who-Fur Dye."

"Well, no need to worry, dear," she said, placing a consoling hand on her daughter's knee. "You're very intelligent, I'm sure you'll figure out."

"Hey...Mom?"

"Not now, Hesper, I'm talking to your sister." She ruffled Harper's hair affectionately.

Hesper stood up and pointed. "Mom, seriously, look."

"What?" Sally looked around to where Hesper was pointing, then stood up, shocked, to walk forward. "What the... ?"

She stared, disbelieving, at the huge elephant walking up the street. Just before she yelled for the girls to get back inside, a familiar face popped out from behind the elephants head. "Hi, sweetie!"

"Ned!?" Behind her cheers went up, and floods of girls came pouring around her, clamoring to pet the large animal. "What- what are you- Who is-?!"

"Hi, there!", the elephant said, "I'm Horton! You must be Sally! Nice to meet ya!"

Sally stared in shock as he stuck his trunk out as though to shake her hand, and then promptly fainted.

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"Honey, can you hear me?"

Ned hovered over Sally's unconscious body, after carrying her to the bed, drumming his fingers on his lips in worry. Then he went to her, holding her hand and brushing her hair out of her face. "Sally, come on, wake up!"

She moaned and turned her face toward him. "Ned?"

"I'm here, I'm right here," he answered. "Are you okay? What do you remember?"

"I remember you were late home from work... And I had the craziest dream..." Her voice sounded tired, but after a moment her expression changed. "That was a dream, right?"

"Ummm..."

"Where are the kids?"

"Ummmmmm..."

Her eyes narrowed. "Ned? Where are they?"

He waffled for few, than admitted in a small, timid voice, "Outside... with Horton."

"WHAT?" Sally jumped out of bed. "But how? And more importantly, does he have any experience taking care of children? Oh, Ned!"

"It's fine, it's fi-"

He was cut off as she shoved past him and raced downstairs, flinging open the back door. Instead of finding the nightmare scenario her brain had concocted, she found the elephant treating her girls to a slide down his trunk; they were clambering onto his back using a ladder from the garage, and zooming down his nose after he asked their name. Unbelievably, all the girls were laughing and present. Even Jojo, who hadn't been present before, was holding the ladder steady for his sisters. As some apparently came by for a second go, Horton tried to remember their names, and if he was wrong, the girls simply laughed and corrected him.

Sally stared disbelieving, vaguely registering Ned beside her, smiling widely. "He's good with kids, it turns out."

Horton heard Ned's voice and turned. "Oh! Hello, again, Sally!" He smiled brightly. After Hannah slid down, he approached her. "Sorry for the shock. How are you?"

"Uh... Fine, just fine." Laughing, she began to relax. "Ned was just late home, and it's been a stressful day." Ned put his arm around her. "Ned?"

"Come inside, dear." He guided her back through the door. "We need to talk."

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Horton pushed his ear against the wall and listened intently, eyebrows crinkling in concentration. Sally was asking all the same questions he himself had, of course; _How did he get her?_, _How will he get home?_

A few quiet giggles broke out, and Horton shushed them quickly.

"But Ned," came Sally's muffled voice, "where will he stay?"

"He'll stay here, of course," Ned answered, as though it was obvious and she was silly for even asking.

"Here? Oh, Ned, where are we gonna keep an elephant?"

Horton backed away. "I hope your mom isn't angry with me," he announced to the children at large.

"Don't worry," a Who-girl of about fifteen said, smiling. She had two little purple pigtails on either side of her head and huge glasses, and when she smiled there was a glint of braces. She continued, her voice precise with every syllable, "She's just upset with Dad for being late home. He can get stuck in his own world sometimes, and ignore what other peoples needs are."

Next to her, another girl who was hunched over and drawing snorted derisively, never looking up from her sketch pad. "It has a tendency to make us all feel a little...overlooked. Mom does it, too, so I don't know why she so holier-than-thou about it. Disgusting."

The first Who, Harper was her name he thought, scowled.

"Sorry." The other girl, who looked similar to Harper, except with no glasses and letting her hair fall in her face, said it in a decidedly unapologetic tone.

"Calls 'em like she sees 'em?" Horton chortled. "I like you, kid."

She raised her eyebrow. "You do? Huh. Weird."

A small laugh came from Jojo, who quickly covered his mouth.

Horton huffed and sat down, ears drooping, and several of the girls rushed over to comfort him. "I guess I hadn't thought about where I'd stay..."

Just then Ned walked out into the back yard. Seeing Horton looking hurt, he walked over, wringing his hands. "Yes, those ears, I had forgotten. How much did you hear?"

"Enough."

"Well, girls, go get the tent!", he announced.

In what seemed like a few seconds, the cheering girls had erected a huge pavilion and Ned was ushering him under it. "But I don't understand..."

"Sally was worried about logistics, that's all," the mayor explained, smiling. "This should work out perfectly."

Horton settled in the soft grass beneath the canvas, looking gratefully at his friend as he ordered his plethora of children to go inside and prepare for bed. As the Who returned to him, he felt the overwhelming feeling again, like his heart would explode.

"How are you doing?" He asked, eyes wide with concern.

Horton grabbed him again and pulled Ned to him with his trunk. "Thanks for being there for me, buddy," Horton said.

Just as he was about Let Ned go, the Who patted his trunk and kissed his cheek. "Of course, Horton. I'd do anything for you."

The elephant felt color flood his face, and dug a toe into the grass to hide his nervousness. "Um..." How should he respond to that?

Ned coughed in an exaggerated way. "Good night. See you in the morning."

"Good night," Hortonechoed back. He curled up into a confused ball as Ned walked back into the house. Neither saw the shadow moving back from a window on the top floor.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews, everyone! I'm sorry this is taking so long, but I've been pulled in about a million different directions lately. Hopefully the next update will be quicker. :) Onward!_

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Chapter Five

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Over the next several days, Sally watched her husband and the elephant interacting. Something was off there, she was sure, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. Luckily, the city was able to approve one of their older daughters, Hyperia, to take over most of Ned's behind-the-scenes duties temporarily.

How he hadn't noticed, Mayor McDodd didn't know, but little Hyperia had joined the debate team and was planning to have a career in government. It made him ashamed to think how he hadn't even noticed her ambition in his fruitless quest to turn his son into something he wasn't.

Instead, he spent the majority of his days for the next week acclimating Horton to life in Whoville and acting as a go-between for him and Dr. Larue.

It was harder than ever to screen his inappropriate affections as he watched Horton becoming used to living in Whoville. Horton seemed to always want to help, from grabbing up a heavy box to carry for an elderly man, to pushing Mrs. Denton's car out of the ditch. He also loved learning about Whoville history, and Ned spent the better part of one afternoon bringing different pictures of his predecessors out to show to Horton, telling him the highlights of their careers.

Both easier and more difficult were the evenings spent at home. When he could skip working, he was afforded the luxury of eighty-three seconds with each of his children. As he walked outside, he'd always see Horton doing something designed to make his heart thump traitorously in his chest.

Trying so hard as little Hadley taught him to read her favorite book.

Playing the part of Romeo for drama student Helen's Juliette.

Letting Hope trace his foot on a sheet of paper and helping her color it in by holding a crayon in his trunk.

If there was anything that could make his unthinkable attraction to the elephant more intense and undeniable, it was this. Seeing how good he was with his many daughters, and how he managed to make them all feel special, was the hardest thing he could endure. Despite the overwhelming feelings, he couldn't act on them, which was a relief in some ways, and a devastation in others. He couldn't allow himself to show it though, so always he marched back inside to help Sally clean up from dinner.

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The next week, Ned was back to work, and Hyperia was back in high school, and Sally was still stuck at home with Heddy and her youngest eleven daughters as usual. She didn't really mind most of the time, she reminded herself.

Just times like these.

The Who-sitter she splurged on once a month so she could have her toe and finger fur trimmed delicately had cancelled, just at the last second, and a replacement had yet to be found. None of her regular choices were free, and even her emergency back up Who-sitter, who charged twice as much, wasn't answering.

It was a silly thing, really, she reminded herself as she watched her girls playing "duck, duck, goose". A luxury she could live without. She had one call left; the one to the beauty shop to cancel her appointment.

"Hey, kids!"

Eyes snapping up, she saw Horton's head coming in a window. The girls abandoned their game and ran to him. "Hey, careful, no pulling now... Hi, there, Sally!"

"Hi, Horton," she sighed.

He spent a moment examining her. "What's wrong?", he asked, concerned.

"It's nothing, really." Sally shrugged and smiled. "I have to cancel an appointment, that's all. The lady I had watching these adorable monsters cancelled on me."

"Well, that's easy! I can watch 'em for you!" Horton announced excitedly.

"Oh, no, I couldn't ask you to-"

"But you didn't ask!" Horton pointed out, smiling. "I offered."

"Oh." Sally stopped herself and then took a deep breath. "Okay, then. I'll go..."

Sally retrieved her purse and a box of graham crackers, then approached the elephant. "Here, give them this snack at two and then have them take a nap. I'll be back by three or so."

"You got it, Ms. O'Malley!" He took the box with his trunk, and announced, "All right, girls, come on outside!"

With a delighted cry, the children ran out the door and into the yard, and Mrs. O'Malley pushed down her fear and walked briskly out the door and down the street.

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Sally tried to relax as her fur was trimmed, but she couldn't help being nervous. Horton had gotten their world to safety, but who was to say that made him good with children? He did a great job with them, but did that mean he could handle a dozen girls all on his own?

She fretted and fretted, and the cosmetologist working with her asked what was wrong many, many times. All in all, she thought it was the least tranquil of her outings to date.

Rushing back home, she spent the extra five dollars to take the bus home, which was faster, but she worried all the way. She ran all the way back from the bus stop to their home, shoving the back gate open and dashing inside.

There was Horton, laying placidly under his pavilion. Her daughters were all snuggled together sleeping, his trunk wrapped around them in a circle.

"Sally! How was your appointment?" Horton whispered.

It took a moment for the words to penetrate her mind. "What? Oh. Yes, it was fine..."

"Wow, your fingers look so pretty and feminine," Horton whispered admiringly.

Blushing, Sally stepped carefully closer to him. "Thank you. How did it go?" she asked tentatively.

"Great! They were perfect little angels!" Horton glanced down at the sleeping girls and smiled. "I told them to curl up for storytime and they were all out before the end."

With a twinge of regret, Sally sank down on the grass next to him. "You know, Horton... I think I may owe you an apology," she said quietly.

With a snort of surprise, he looked intently at Sally. "Why?"

She fidgeted with the verdant blades under her, she sighed. "I seem to be waiting for you to mess up, expecting the worst. I don't know why."

Horton huffed. "Well, don't you like me, Sally?" He sounded surprised.

Laughing softly, she leaned against his shoulder. "You make it hard not to," she whispered, snuggling into his skin.

Heart fluttering, Horton looked down at her. It was a very strange thing, similar to the strange feelings he had when Ned was around, but slightly off, like the difference between the touch of a flower and a butterfly's wing. "Why don't you rest for a bit too, Sally?" he asked quietly.

"Sure," she breathed out, eyes slipping closed effortlessly as she leaned into his warm skin.

Ned arrived home early that day, and found them all, even Horton, asleep in the yard. His heart a strange mixture of sweet and bitter, he went inside to prepare dinner and think.

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To Be Continued...


	6. Chapter 6

**_Hey, friends! Sorry it's been so long! I've tried to make up for it by having a longer chapter this time, with some hopefully exciting developments! Although a lot of sappy nonsense is definitely involved. Also, I need some opinions on how detailed to get with the love scenes. I'm waffling; I definitely won't do anything super graphic like I did with my Wreck-it Ralph stories, but I could either skip them almost entirely, or put in a little of them, depending on how uncomfortable people might be with Who-on-Elephant love. Please either review or PM with your opinion. I want to give people what they want! Anyway, enjoy the chapter and keep writing!_**

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**__**Chapter Six

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The Mayor stared at the light fixture hovering over his mattress, glinting in the darkness. He felt like a traitor in this bed; a strange mixture of jealousy and guilt swirled inside him, hidden by the darkness. His stomach ached, his palm fur was damp with sweat, and his head was spinning.

_I love my wife!_ he thought miserably. _I love my family!_ It was true, but behind that voice was another that traitorously whispered, _and I'm falling in love with Horton too..._

As he thought it, his eyes landed on Sally's face. He felt absolutely awful as he saw that her eyes were closed, her features relaxed in repose.

She was guiltless.

It was completely ridiculous that he should be envious and resentful of her for being able to so openly show affection to the elephant without fear, even more so when he considered that he probably felt awkward because... Well, the affection he wanted to display wasn't exactly appropriate. That must be why even a simple hug set his heart hammering in his chest, making him nervously look about to see who might have noticed his discomfit.

And that's what made this jealousy so ridiculous; it was hypocritical, he knew. Besides that, what were the chances his wife actually had any romantic designs on their new friend? What Who _would_ lust after an elephant?

_No one but me_, Ned reminded himself, sighing and rubbing a hand over his burning eyes and turning on his side, away from Sally. Disgust was added to the mix now; everyone new he was odd, but sometimes his oddness left him feeling dismayed and unsure.

These feeling had been easier to deal with when they were misty clouds, floating on the edges of his mind, distant and ethereal. Seeing Horton, his constant presence in Ned's life, had solidified them. Each time he saw the elephant, each time he heard his voice, his feelings flared in his heart. This couldn't continue, but he also couldn't just dismiss Horton; where could he go? He didn't have anyone else.

The only thing he could think of was to try to avoid Horton as much as possible. It made sense to him; increased contact had made his cravings worse. Less contact would certainly have the opposite effect.

He'd start tomorrow. Things had to get easier. They couldn't possibly get harder...could they?

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It was a very strange thing to be able to see so much daylight, but no sun. It was something Horton still hadn't adjusted to in his few short weeks here, and he still searched the sky for a glowing orb every day, and his twin every night. This morning, before the sun came up, he squinted into the darkness, eyes shifting from one corner of the sky to another instinctively to find the moon.

The squeak of a door brought his attention back down, however, and he saw the dark form of Ned McDodd closing the front door as quietly as possible before turning to the street. The sight of him sent the same, now almost familiar sensation of longing and anticipation and he stood, smiling.

"Morning, Mayor," Horton whispered loudly, lumbering over. "Headed to work early?"

The small man jumped and looked up guiltily. "Oh...yes. I ...uh..." He looked around in confusion for a moment. "I've missed a lot of..evenings..recently, being home to spend time with you- I mean, the kids- and- Aren't you usually asleep right around now?"

"Nah, I'm an early-riser," he bragged, drawing himself up slightly. "I was just looking for the moon."

Ned frowned. "For...the what?"

"The moon. You know..." Horton stopped and blinked. "Oh, I guess you don't know. It's.. uh... In the Jungle of Nool, when it's dark outside, there's this big glowing silver ball that floats in the sky. It starts on one side and over several hours moves over the entire sky until you can't see it anymore."

The Mayor seemed entranced. He watched Horton describing the moon to him with a look of worshipful fascination. "That's amazing," he breathed, glancing at his own sky as though he could see the orb Horton spoke of.

"There's also the sun during the day, much much brighter. It moves the same way as the moon." The elephant stopped for a moment, gazing into the Who's wondering face as he searched the completely black heavens. His words seemed suddenly more important, like some of his own awkward emotions could be shared, and he leaned in closer. "Some say... the sun is chasing the moon. They say he loves her and tries to catch her, but she's too fast... and she doesn't look back, so she never sees him calling to her." As his words died, he found the mayor turning to him.

His deep blue eyes were staring into Horton's aquamarine ones, lost and confused. "What happens when the moon sees the sun?" he rasped hoarsely. "What does he... she do?"

Horton thought about that for a moment, his face screwing up in concentration. "I don't know," he admitted finally. "No one ever told me that part."

The mayor looked extremely disappointed, his entire being drooping. "That's too bad," he said quietly.

Horton felt awful. Clearly his exciting new emotions were not shared by his friend, and explaining them must have really hurt Ned, judging from his expression. "Want a ride to work?" he offered, trying to change the subject.

"I don't think that's the best idea," Ned replied, his words slow and measured. "I could use some time alone. To think."

"Okay. Have a great day, buddy!"

Horton's happiness rang too false to convince anyone, least of all Ned, who had put considerable unconscious energy into learning his friend's behaviors well. He watched Horton sadly lumbering under his shelter, mind a jumble. He had spoken truly; some time to clear his head was definitely in order.

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Hesper hated high school.

Of course junior high had been awful too, but she had harbored some small hope that once she hit high school, she'd be able to befriend some other Who's that were at least not total imbeciles, like her classmates had been so far. Someone who was cool, not the usual vapid schmoes she was confronted with everyday.

It was a foolish hope, illustrated by the idiocy of her fellow students so far during her freshman year. She sat next to Harper as the other girl spoke with her friend Whitley about their Chemistry homework. Hesper had decided earlier that fall that Whitley wasn't as distasteful a person as some others around them and tolerated her presence well, though she didn't deign to speak to the girl much.

While her twin and Whitley went over the answers together, she moodily scrawled various images as they came to her; a dead rabbit, various strange faces, a fairy with furry bat wings. In the upper right hand corner she inked a gothic clown with long pigtails and black tears running down her fuzzy white face.

"Hey, Max, come here!"

Hesper's gaze shot up to see Whitley's tall older brother walking carelessly over. She scowled and ducked back behind her pad, pointedly ignoring him. Max was a senior, the star quarterback in the Who High Whoball team. If she had one problem with her twin sister's friendship with Whitley, it was that she was forced into involuntary social situations with the worst of the worst here. She huffed and pointedly ignored him.

"Hey, sis," he said, patting Whitley on the shoulder roughly. "Having fun nerding it up over here?"

"Oh, very funny. I just wanted you to know that I'm going home with Hesper and Harper tonight so I don't have to sit here waiting for Whoball practice to be over," she informed him primly. "I'll walk home from there."

He shrugged. "Whatever. I'll see you at dinner I guess."

After a few moments of silence, Whitley voice rang out, her tone distainful. "Are you just going to stand there staring creepily at my friends all day?"

Hesper glanced up curiously and saw the older boy looking directly at her, and he presumably had been for several moments. "What?" she grated out harshly. She'd never liked attention; that's why she always wore dark colors and had her bangs in her face, never spoke unless spoken to. Hesper was feeling suddenly uncomfortable and exposed, and reflexive defense was rudeness.

When he met her eyes his light orange facial fuzz flushed slightly, then he looked irritated. "Nothing. I wasn't staring... Get back to your lame doodles or whatever they are, you little freak." With that, he huffed away, back to a circle of fellow Whoball players and cheerleaders.

Hesper looked back down without responding.

"Oh, Hesper, I'm so sorry!" Whitley squealed, looking mortified. "I can't believe he-"

"It's fine." She stared unseeing down at her artwork, turning the page. "I expect that kind of crap from jackasses."

Whitley giggled and turned back to Harper, while Hesper covertly watched Max's retreating back as he reentered the school.

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Though the day was long and tedious, it had at least given Ned some time to think. It was obvious, Ned decided as he signed off on his three hundredth release form, that things were out of control, and drastic measures needed to be taken.

Just a few moments ago, he had approved an order to construct a giant building, big enough for an elephant to live in if he wanted. It was time to admit his feelings, now that Horton would have somewhere else to go when he inevitably rejected Ned's advances. If he got them out in the open, witnessed Horton's complete and total rejection, he hoped he would be able to move on. He would ask Horton to be discreet , of course. No one needed to know about his shame but the two of them.

"Hello?"

Looking up in alarm, Ned's eyes darted from corner to corner of his office. He seemed to be alone, so who was-

"Hello? Who's?" came the voice again.

Ned wandered over to the the neglected pipe on his balcony, unused since Horton's appearance, eyes wide. "Hello? This is the mayor," he announced in confusion.

"Oh, Mayor, thank goodness! Have you heard from Horton?"

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Horton stepped gingerly from the lift onto the balcony outside the Mayor's office. "Ned?" he queried, tiptoeing towards the main office. "You needed me?" His stomach was doing flipflops; the pleasantly warm sensations he had felt for days when he was in the Who's prescence had now turned cold and aching. "I got your message! What-"

"Horton!"

The familiar voice had come from the drainpipe, not the office. "Morton?" Horton cried in disbelief.

"Oh, Horton!" Morton cried, sounding relieved. "You've been missing for weeks!"

Horton felt suddenly guilty. "I'm so sorry," he said. "I didn't think... but how could I have told you anyway?" His brow furrowed in concentration. "It's not like anyone but me ever came to talk to the Who's anyway."

"Well, I finally came as a last ditch effort. We had looked everywhere! Even the Wickersham brothers couldn't find you. How did this happen?" Morton definitely sounded deeply concerned.

Horton tried to explain as much as he could, but Morton had no helpful insights. Horton asked how everything was going in the Jungle of Nool, and Morton asked after the citizens of Whoville. Sometime during their conversation, the mayor had appeared at his side, listening with quiet respect as Horton explained all of his amazing adventures.

"Gee, Horton, it sounds like you're so happy. Happier than I even remember you being here.. "

Horton blinked in surprise. "I...uh... I suppose I am!" His chest expanded as he admitted it. "I don't that I've ever been happier than I am here with the Mayor and his family. But... it's probably temporary..."

"Well, I guess I'll spread the word so no one else keeps looking for you.." Morton trailed off. "I miss you. I'll try to come and say hello sometimes until...everything gets sorted out, I guess."

"All right. See ya later, buddy."

Horton turned to Ned, feeling more conflicted than ever. "I didn't even think about the people back home, until now." He lumbered into Ned's office and plopped onto the floor, shaking the whole building. "I feel awful. I miss everyone, and they all thought I was hurt or missing. What a bad friend I've been..."

The mayor stepped tentatively forward, extending a hand in comfort. Hearing Horton talk this way was wrenching him apart. "Horton," he began, patting the elephant on the shoulder. "You are one of the most selfless people I have ever met. There's absolutely no need for you to feel guilty. I didn't think of it either."

"You're a good friend, Mr. Mayor," Horton said. "Even after I upset you this morning, you're still so nice to me. I don't know what I'd have done without you." He began to wrap his trunk around Ned's frame and pull him into a hug, but the Who pulled back from him.

"I'm not as great of a friend as you think, Horton," Ned began, wringing his hands together. Hearing how happy Horton was with him and his family, he was even more loath to tell his friend about his foolish feelings and ruin his new-found home, but he had promised himself he would be honest. And Ned McDodd was nothing if not honest. "I've been...keeping things from you."

Horton looked puzzled and slightly hurt. "You lied?"

"No, no, I'd never lie," he protested, stepping a bit closer. "It's just... We don't have to talk about this now if you don't want to."

Horton considered for a moment, then extended his trunk again, ignoring the Who's protests as he pulled him close. "Whatever it is, Ned old buddy, we've been through worse before," he said quietly. "I don't think you could ever do anything that could come between us."

The simple words warmed Ned's heart as he was enveloped be the warm, surprisingly smooth skin, his head tucked securely beneath the elephant's cheek as his thick arms wrapped around him. He felt like his heart was going to burst right out of his chest, and he unconsciously leaned in to inhale his friend's scent, eyes closing. He tried to form words, unsure what he would say or how to say it, but before he could his lips were pressed against the corner of Horton's mouth.

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TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

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**_Again, apologies for the wait. Thanks to animemistress1 for her interest in the fic! Hopefully there's some surprises in here, of the pleasant and interesting kind. Apologies if any of you are offended by the content, but I like to keep things controversial for the fun of it. More to come soon hopefully! Thanks for reading!_**

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The bell rang, and as usual, Hesper stalked out of the school, completely scorning everyone and everything around her as she made her way towards the corner of the road where she met all her high school aged siblings to walk home. Harper's class was across the parking lot, so she couldn't walk with her at the end of the day as she normally did from class to class. The violet Who kept her purple hair swinging in her face as she tried to make her way out of the school without attracting much attention. It was harder than it looked.

"Hey, weirdo, come over here!"

Hesper clutched her sketchbook closer to her chest, ignoring the voice and walking as quickly as she could, but before she could get out of range, a large form blocked her path. She ducked her head and stepped back, looking at the ground to avoid eye contact with the Who in front of her.

"Whatcha got there?" the voice sneered. She recognized him; Jim, one of football players on the Who High team, was standing before her. His lemon fur and white hair stood out glaringly in the afternoon sun. "Gimme that!"

"HEY!" she exclaimed in outrage as he plucked the book out of her hands. "That's mine! Give it back!"

"Whoa, what the hell is this stuff, freakazoid?" Jim sneered, turning the book this way and that as he held it out of her reach. Hesper's heart raced as she saw the pages flipping this way and that. She had drawn some very personal things in that book. "This is some seriously-"

"Give it back." The authoritative words took them both by surprise. Hesper turned and looked up into blue eyes framed by orange fur. "Stop being such a douchebag, Jim," Max said, snatching the leather-bound tome from the surprised boy's grip and standing between them, "She's just trying to get home."

"Why do you care?" Jim asked angrily, letting him take the sketches nonetheless. "Is she your little freakazoid girlfriend?"

Max just frowned menacingly at him, and Hesper found herself inching closer to the older Who's back unconsciously as though for protection. "Leave her alone," he ordered, pointing in the direction of most of the other Who's who made up the football team and cheerleader squad. "Get out of here."

Glaring traitorously, Jim scoffed but walked away.

"Are you okay?" Max asked quietly when Jim was out of earshot, looking into her eyes.

Hesper felt her cheeks go red, immediately on the defensive. "Of course," she asserted, turning from him and holding her sketchbook out of reach. She felt the warmth of his body behind her, only inches from her back. "Your idiot friends could never-"

Large hands closed over her upper arms, and he spun her about to face him. "Jim is not my friend," he said, "We're just on the same team, that's all. That guy's a huge douchebag. I would never-"

"Whatever," Hesper replied scathingly, wrenching herself out of his grasp. "Just... leave me alone!" She ignored his burning gaze as she strode purposefully away, her heart pounding in her chest.

Yeah. High school sucked.

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Ned was frozen, hand resting on Horton's trunk, his lips pressed against Horton's warm mouth, or at least the edge of it. The action had seemed so natural, so inevitable, but now he trembled with trepidation as he waited for the elephant to push him away.

A puff of air sighed out of Horton's trunk, ruffling the fur of his lower leg, and the large head moved back slightly. Heart pounding, Ned tried to escape the spiral hold of the trunk around him. "Ned? ...What is this?" the innocent voice asked curiously.

The honest words, spoken by his blameless friend, made everything desperately worse for the Mayor. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" he gasped out. "I shouldn't have- I didn't mean-"

Horton tightened his hold on Ned, shifting the tip of his trunk to rub the Who's back gently. "Don't be sorry. I liked it."

Somehow, this simple admission made the Who feel a million times worse. "You don't understand, Horton," he whispered, stroking any gray skin he could reach with an intensity bordering on reverence. "I don't want it to stop here, I... and I'm married, and you're..." Ned managed to stop himself before he said anything unkind about the fact that they were completely different species, worried that this would make Horton feel inadequate. "I shouldn't have kissed you. It's not fair. To us, to Sally..."

Horton seemed to droop, and Ned successfully fought his way out of the elephant's grip, tripping on his own feet. He wrung his hands and backed away. "But..." Horton whispered, "Sally said... Is this why she didn't like me?"

Ned sucked in a breath. "She didn't what?" he asked, horrified.

"I felt the distance, until recently. Why wouldn't Sally like you kissing me? I liked it." The elephant sounded genuinely surprised.

Once again, the Mayor's heart was racing, a feeling of dread coming over him. How could Sally have known; the idea that she knew about his romantic designs on Horton left him with a feeling of ice in his chest, but at the same time his heart leapt to hear that the elephant felt the same. "Oh... Horton... I can't... we can't do this. Please... please forgive me."

Suddenly, the Mayor of Whoville was fleeing his own office, leaving behind a very confused pachyderm.

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Hesper never played with Horton like her sisters did, and neither did Jojo. They just weren't the playing type; they never had been. They had a tendency to seek out each other amidst the chaos of their family, and just sit quietly, she sketching, he composing. She liked to listen to him humming the melody and harmonies under his breath, and sometimes she felt him watching her drawing, like they were each inspiration for the other.

They sat together under the back porch, a secret spot they had liked to go to since they were children. Her muse seemed to be missing today; all she had drawn was a strange looking cat with snake tails for legs and a cobra hood, and even that wasn't as creepy as she had hoped. She stared out, eyes slowly focusing through the latticework to see Horton laying on the grass, his trunk stretched out and looking despondent. Her disappointed sisters were still around him, but seemed to have formed their own groups playing tag or leap frog in the yard. Elbowing Jojo, Hesper pointed into the yard, indicating the sad elephant.

He looked out the lattice as well, squinting into the brighter light for a moment, then shrugged. Neither knew what could be bothering their guest.

They both went back to their activities after that. They didn't talk a lot, even to each other, but that was why they got along so well, Hesper thought. She listened to him humming a major sixth back and forth several times before scribbling away at his sheet. Staring at her own paper, blank except for the cat-cobra, she felt her creativity was sapped. With a sigh, she closed her book and crawled out, heading back inside the house.

It was obvious something was up with her father, too. He wasn't really paying attention to any of them, and hadn't been all night. Her own minute of interaction had been even blander than was typical. Hesper walked through the kitchen for a soda, stopping near her mother. "What's up with Dad and Horton?" she asked bluntly, sucking down the sugary liquid.

"I don't know, sweetie," she said, pulling an outrageously huge pan of lasagna out of the oven. "Why don't you grab your sister's and Jojo and tell them dinner is ready?"

Hesper rolled her eyes and sat her can of soda down, deciding to stop by the bathroom first. At least with the fair warning she could wash her hands in peace and not have to stand in line.

She opened the door without knocking, her mind preoccupied, and was confronted with the strange sight of mixed up limbs and mashed up lips. Some were violet, like hers, and the others were a peach shade. Suddenly the tangle of multi-colored fur jerked apart, and she recognized her twin sister and Whitney, their lips making a popping noise as the parted.

"Oh, Hesper," Harper said breathlessly, flushing brightly. "I... I can explain-"

"Holy crap, you're- mmfph!" Hesper's words were cut off as Whitney clapped her hand over her mouth, and Harper closed the door.

"Please don't tell anyone!" Whitney asked, her voice high with anxiety. "My parents would have a cow, I swear, I can't-"

Ripping the girls hand of her face, Hesper hissed, "Calm it down, I won't say anything, but you need to stop shrieking." She listened for a second to see if anyone was coming, then locked the door. "There, that's something you two should have done from the start. What were you thinking?"

"I thought- everyone is in and out of our room constantly, and this seemed-" Harper clearly couldn't finish a sentence, nearly magenta from the blood rushing to her face, and she grabbed her glasses from where they were sitting on the counter. "Oh, God."

"Look, I don't care who you mess around with," Hesper said, her voice still low, "but you need to be smarter about it if you don't want anyone to find out! You really thought I'd give a shit?"

"I... I wasn't sure..."

Hesper raised her eyebrow. "Well, that's ridiculous."

Whitney was smiling nervously, but Harper looked ashamed. "I'm so sorry," she said solemnly.

"Look, it's cool. I'm just here to wash my hands. Dinner's ready." It was clear that it wasn't cool, but Hesper washed her hands and walked out to the backyard, shaking her head. She didn't care that her twin sister was gay; what bothered her was that Harper didn't trust her.

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After Hesper headed inside, Jojo heard her call that dinner was ready. He wasn't hungry at all, so he stayed hidden until his sisters had headed inside, then emerged quietly, hoping to leave unseen.

"Heya, Jojo," came Horton's voice suddenly, and the small Who cursed under his breath.

"Hi, Horton," he said quietly.

"Your mom said it was time for dinner," the elephant offered helpfully.

"I heard."

Huffing again, the elephant slumped down under his pavilion. "I'm not really feeling the the vibe either," he said sadly.

Jojo watched him for a moment. "You...you wanna talk about it?"

"No," the elephant, his voice almost petulant, and he curled up on his side in the grass. "Have a good night, Jo," he said quietly.

Jojo walked reluctantly out of the yard, feeling there was definitely something serious going on with Horton, but it was something he couldn't pinpoint, and the elephant definitely didn't want to talk about it. Besides, he had a previous engagement.

He walked quietly down the street, head low, until he came to a small park. It wasn't often that they chanced their encounters, but their parents would easily overlook the absences on occasion as long as it wasn't too many nights in a row. He slowly made his way to the small cluster of trees that would hide them from the rest of the world, feeling his heart racing.

"Oh, Romeo, Romeo! Where for art thou, Romeo?"

His head turned toward the voice, sweet and melodic, the most musical voice he had ever heard. "Helen," he whispered, pulling the slightly smaller girl into his arms. He brushed her fire-engine red hair out of her face, kissing her gently, reverently. "My love..."

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It was well past midnight and Ned found himself staring out into the yard, watching Horton morosely plucking grass out of the yard, blade by blade. He couldn't sleep either; his mind kept returning to their interaction early that day. It wasn't fair, for anyone, that they were finding themselves in this predicament. He was miserable, Horton was miserable. Sally would be miserable, if she wasn't already, when she found out, and his wife was far to intelligent to fool for long, that he knew for certain. Besides, based on what Horton had said, she was already well aware of his feelings for their visitor.

He looked down at the paper in his hands. He still hadn't told Horton about the alternate living arrangements he'd approved yet, but he would. In the morning he would tell him to move our until this thing could be reversed. Of course his friend was feeling uncomfortable here, and he couldn't ask him to stay when the tension between them would be a constant drain. He could put up the funds, if necessary, to help Horton move until he could find employment, which would probably be easy for him. The whole city knew who Horton was, and he couldn't imagine there was a business in town that wouldn't love to have the elephant on their payroll.

Tomorrow, he thought. Tomorrow.

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TBC


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